One of the most important elements in arranging an optimal learning environment for young children is helping parents become partners in their children's learning. To promote this partnership teachers must keep parents informed about the program and their children's progress within it. Such exchanges can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including informal sharing and reporting, telephone contacts, parent conferences, formal and informal parental observations of their children, written messages, newsletters, parent participation activities, and written progress reports. Teachers, by virtue of their training and experience, have a responsiblity for sharing their knowledge and expertise in order to help parents learn more about children in general, although they must never attempt to dictate how parents should be raising their own children. Responding to parents' requests for help (whether direct or indirect, formal or informal) has always been part of the preschool and day care teacher's professional responsibility. When a problem exists that parents do not recognize, it must be brought up with tact and careful forethought in the privacy of a conference. Under no circumstances, however, should teachers label or diagnose. Of course, teachers must take precautions in reporting suspected child abuse. They also need to obtain feedback from parents, know how to conduct parent meetings, and respond to parent complaints. (RH)